Why our approach to royal births prioritises good stories over sensationalist fawning

In the few years I’ve worked as a journalist, I have been on call for three royal births. At times, this has involved watching news footage outside the Lindo Wing for three hours straight in the lead-up to Prince George’s arrival in 2013. At others, it’s seen me pausing my own birthday lunch to click “publish” on an article about the birth of Prince Louis in 2018 (thanks, Louis). As a result, I’ve learned that you can never be too prepared for a royal birth.

Fortunately, social media has aided this arduous yet, admittedly, thrilling task. As interest in a royal pregnancy increases on search platforms and networking sites, so too does our content to reflect the interest of readers. It’s for this reason in recent weeks The Independent has increased its output of articles relating to the Duchess of Sussex’s pregnancy, catering to those interested in reading news articles and features relating to the monarchy, tradition, and women’s health.

The Independent has a unique approach to royal births. While we may not be diehard royalists, we are equally on the pulse to report the news and stories that pique the interest of our loyal readers. This explains why we’ve reported on the profession of a doula, following rumours that Ms Markle will be using one during her pregnancy and birth. It’s also the reason behind our article on paternity leave, looking at how much time Prince Harry – and all fathers – are entitled to, whether it can be used for antenatal appointments, and how much leave you can take if you’re are adopting.

However, while social media can be a powerful tool in a journalist’s arsenal, it can also function as a breeding ground for rumours, sensationalist reportage and factually inaccurate news. In recent weeks, this has resulted in several publications reporting that the royal couple are planning to bring their child up gender neutral (which Kensington Palace later disputed) to rumours that Ms Markle is expecting twins due to the size of her bump, naturally.

Amid the frenzy on the day of the royal birth, fact-checking and accuracy has never been more important. On the Lifestyle desk, we pride ourselves on our relationships with official sources and experts working in industries related to the royals, fashion and the law in order to provide accurate and reputable copy for readers. In keeping with The Independent’s values, we embrace all opinions, we’re not party political, and we are staunch believers in never compromising on good journalism for clicks, regardless of search interest and trending hashtags.

No matter your monarchist inclinations, interest in Ms Markle’s post-pregnancy fashion, or royal protocol following a royal birth, you can be sure that you will find trustworthy and accurate information here.

Yours,

Katie O’Malley

Assistant lifestyle editor